The magazine of Nottingham Law School Winter 2013-2014 Nottingham Law School Nottingham Trent University Burton Street Nottingham NG1 4BU Tel: +44 (0)115 848 4460 Email: [email protected] Find us at www.facebook.com/ntulawschool Follow us at www.twitter.com/lawnls This leaflet can be made available in alternative formats. Please note that whilst the University has taken all reasonable steps to ensure the accuracy of the content within this leaflet at the time of IN THIS ISSUE printing, the University reserves the right to remove, vary or amend the content of the leaflet at any time. For avoidance of doubt, the information provided within the content of this leaflet is for Advice for the conscientious law student San Diego internship Student Conference guidance purposes. © Nottingham Trent University and may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form in whole or in part without the prior written consent of Nottingham Trent University. | | 3086/02/14 ALL THINGS LAW WELCOME THE LATEST IN LAW ALL THINGS LAW Welcome The latest in law LLM Legal Practice Celebrating 50 years The magazine of Nottingham Law School Summer 2013 The magazine of Nottingham Law School Winter 2013 Contents Expert opinions Nottingham Law School’s new LLM Legal Practice started in January. This new Master’s in Law award is of excellence in legal Welcome 2 for those with professional legal qualifications such as The latest in law 3 the BPTC or LPC. Credit points are awarded for study education on these professional qualifications and students can Clare’s Law, victims’ then top up the points with a dissertation or publishable Feature article 6 This year Nottingham Law School is celebrating an article to gain the LLM. The course is studied entirely by impressive 50 years of excellence in legal education. names and the police Pro bono 8 distance learning. Start dates are throughout the year in To mark the occasion we will be gathering stories and While Clare’s Law is a welcome addition in the fight January, April and September. Student conference 9 photos from our staff, students and alumni to produce to pre-empt domestic violence, Nottingham Law a special commemorative edition of this magazine, School’s Dr Samantha Pegg argues that it should International 10 Further information on the course can be found on our so email [email protected] if you would like to not be used to shift the focus away from how police In thIs Issue IN THIS ISSUE What law firms are looking for | Mooting news | Careers | Competition news | and much much more Advice for the conscientious law student | San Diego Internship | Student Conference website at www.ntu.ac.uk/llmlpdl or you can pick up a be involved. react when cases do arise. www.ntu.ac.uk/clareslaw Our staff and students 12 brochure from the Student Enquiry Point on the 4th floor in Chaucer building. Also keep your eyes peeled for further details of the Following the success of the National Student Survey 13 celebrations throughout the year. Why creating new Lex Law Society 14 criminal offences will first issue, I am delighted to ...and finally 15 not help NHS patients John Tingle, Reader in Health Law, welcomes much of Professor Don Berwick’s review in the welcome you to this next edition aftermath of the Mid Staffordshire Hospital scandal 5 minutes with... as thoughtful and reflective but says one key recommendation – to create criminal sanctions of All Things Law, the magazine THINGS I WISH against health staff – will not make the NHS safer Sophie Strecker for patients. www.ntu.ac.uk/berwick LLM International Trade and Senior Lecturer in Law Can you put into perspective how hard you I HAD KN OWN for Nottingham Law School. had to work to obtain a Distinction for your Why did you choose to pursue a career in law? Master’s Degree? I have known from a very young age that I wanted This is the first issue of the 2013/14 academic year and It was a matter of consistency. I made sure that I to be a lawyer, or study law. From around the age of attended absolutely everything and that I completed I hope that all of our students have enjoyed a successful four or five, I was nicknamed ‘our little lawyer’ so the first term. It certainly seems that many of you have been the prep for every session, which requires quite a bit of interest has always been there, but I can’t really put effort all year round. I consider it a full-time job, and I busy and I’m really pleased to read about a wide range of my finger on why. activities including Lex Law Society events, Katie Percival’s treated it as such. If you do all the work it means you involvement in Pro Ius, the student-run legal advice clinic What are the best aspects of teaching? certainly have an understanding of what you’re doing, but I found that to get a Distinction a lot of additional in Netherfield, and Harshita Bishnoi’s internship at the One of the best aspects is that I love the fact that I research was required. You have to take initiative and Casa Cornelia Law Center in San Diego. There are also can contribute to people’s learning. I view myself as go beyond what is required. It’s also important at any some wise words of advice for fellow Law students from someone who facilitates learning and I love to get Press freedom and level of study to have a critical mind. Don’t just believe Suneet Sharma and Andre Maingot. people excited about law. That’s the best thing. everything you read or hear – question it, analyse it and responsibility – This year we celebrate 50 years of excellence in legal Why did you choose to pursue a Master’s Degree evaluate it! education and as well as looking back at our inspiring in International Trade? Want to feature So the key is hard work? regulation and the past, it is a time to look to the future. These pages I did my first Master’s Degree in Belgium, in General Hard work on a consistent basis! highlight only a selection of our many achievements and Law, but I wanted to specialise in one area of the law Royal Charter I am proud to see Nottingham Law School continue to in this section? that I had a specific interest in which also ultimately What’s the greatest advice anyone’s ever go from strength to strength, be it through the creation In a new book about the press and its coverage of fed into my PhD. given you? of new courses and research centres, staff research and crime, Nottingham Law School’s Dr Samantha Pegg, expert opinion quoted in the media or employability Be a contributor I’m a strong believer in life-long learning, which is My mother told me that it doesn’t matter what you along with fellow academics Dr Judith Rowbotham initiatives such as the recent student conference, designed another reason why I chose academia. Not only do in life, you make your choice and you do it to the and Professor Kim Stevenson, argues that existing If you are a current Nottingham Law School student or to ensure our students are fully prepared for their future. does it allow for research, but we also learn a lot from very best of your ability. laws – rather than any new system of Parliament- member of staff and would like to feature in a future students. They can ask some challenging questions! inspired regulation – should be used to control Thank you to everybody who has contributed to the edition of All Things Law, contact the Editorial Board What’s your top tip for law students? newspapers that overstep the mark. development of such a lively Law School community. at [email protected] One thing that I’ve realised is that the more you study Your brain is like a muscle, train it! www.ntu.ac.uk/pressfreedom Enjoy reading. and the more you do research, the more you realise that you really don’t know anything. How does it feel to be a part of NLS? Professor Andrea Nollent I’m very happy because I was here as a student, So essentially you’re always learning? Dean of Nottingham Law School and it’s amazing to now be a part of the staff as this I love it! institution has given me a lot. By Amir Nikfekr Professor Andrea Nollent, Dean of Nottingham Law School 02 03 ALL THINGS LAW THE LATEST IN LAW THE LATEST IN LAW ALL THINGS LAW The latest in law The latest in law Professional Practice Team of experts to prepare report into NLS sets pupils on Lecture Series possible changes to Hong Kong’s legal So far this year’s Professional Practice Lecture Series Pathway to Law (for LPC, BPTC, GDL and LLB students) has seen three education system excellent and well-attended lectures presented by a Legal education experts including staff from Nottingham Law School are to investigate how solicitors qualify to practise in Nottingham Law School welcomed the first cohort number of key partners on a range of topics. The lectures Hong Kong. Professor Jane Ching of Nottingham Law School’s Centre for Legal Education and a team of legal education of students to the Pathways to Law programme in have enabled students to meet and speak with leading experts will be working with the Hong Kong Law Society to undertake consultation with the market and stakeholders.